Helmut Marko has shared that Max Verstappen felt disheartened upon hearing about the departure of the long-standing Austrian figure from Red Bull. Marko also suggested that the four-time Formula 1 World champion may also leave the team if they fail to maintain a conducive environment for his success.
Marko, aged 82, will be stepping down at the conclusion of this year after providing advisory services to the team for two decades and overseeing their junior driver program. It was Marko who initially brought Verstappen into the Red Bull family as a promising young talent, beating out competition from Mercedes.
The bond between the two was notably strong. During internal conflicts within Red Bull last year, Verstappen publicly supported Marko, hinting that he would contemplate departing if his mentor was ousted, referring to him as a paternal figure.
In an interview with Austrian publication Kleine Zeitung, Marko shared Verstappen’s emotional response to his exit: “I would say he was somewhat melancholic about it. We reminisced about the remarkable moments we shared together.”
While Marko dismissed any immediate concerns about Verstappen leaving Red Bull, he emphasized that the driver seeks success within a harmonious setting. Marko stated, “Max desires not only success but success within a harmonious environment. If that is compromised, he will leave abruptly. However, he is currently too young for such a decision.”
Red Bull GmbH’s official statement on Tuesday portrayed Marko’s departure as voluntary. Nevertheless, reports suggest that tensions had been brewing between Marko and Red Bull’s Salzburg leadership for some time. Allegations surfaced regarding Marko’s public criticisms of Kimi Antonelli, leading to online abuse towards the teenager and creating negative publicity for both Marko and the team.
Additionally, rumors emerged that Marko irked senior management by signing Alex Dunne to their junior program without proper authorization, necessitating the cancellation of the contract and a substantial compensation payment to the Irish Formula 2 driver. Marko vehemently denied these claims, attributing them to baseless rumors spread mainly by the British media.
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